Show User Library Folder Mac Sierra

Problem to be Solved

  1. Show User Library Folder Mac Sierra Drive
  2. Mac Os X Sierra
  3. Show User Library Folder Mac
  4. Macos Sierra 10.12.6

2017-10-29.sigh. How do I permanently show the Library folder in High Sierra? I go there often enough I want it up all the time. There used to be a UNIX command to undo this 'feature' but it doesn't seem to work anymore. I know about the view menu with the option held, but that's a pain. I know enough not to mess with what I don't know and I'm an adult. Thereafter, we saw a number of Mac operating systems wherein accessing user library was a hard task forever the power users. Fortunately, in newer Mac versions, the difficulty in accessing this folder has considerably reduced. Apart from its security and optimized storage features, mac Sierra – the latest macOS version, is not different from.

You’ve got a great backup of your OSX computer, and you need to get something back from the Library folder, say something in the Application Support subfolder. These instructions will show you how to do unhide the User Library folder on the external drive or even on a second Mac.

  • Jan 12, 2020 Open a Finder window and navigate to your Home folder. From the Finder menu, click View Show View Options. The keyboard shortcut is Command+J. Place a checkmark in the box labeled Show Library Folder.
  • Dec 19, 2016 How to Get User Library Folder in your macOS Sierra Favorites List. December 19, 2016. Perhaps, OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard could be the last Mac OS that allowed easy access to user library folder. Thereafter, we saw a number of Mac operating systems wherein accessing user library was a hard task forever the power users.
  • Perhaps you wanted to tweak something using a tip from Macworld, Mac OS X. Setting for toggling the visibility of your user-level Library folder. Here’s how to use it. View Show View.

Credit goes to Steve Davidson for teaching me how to do this.

Let’s Start with a Remote Mac Because the Syntax is Simpler

On the remote Mac, enable Remote Login (https://www.podfeet.com/blog/how-to-set-up-a-mac-for-remote-login/) and use the ssh command to Secure Shell into the remote Mac. In this example, our local machien name is Podfeet-rMBP, and our remote Mac’s name is Core-i7-4.local.

I have the same user account on both but I used the allison@ the beginning to show you how to enter your user name if it’s different on the other Mac.

Note that the Library Folder is Not Visible

Here’s a screenshot of the remote Mac Core i7, and the Library folder is invisible.

Show User Library Folder Mac Sierra Drive

Enter the chflags nohidden Command

User Library Folder is Now Visible on the Remote Mac

Next Let’s Repeat This On An External Volume

My backup drive has a nice long annoying name “Core i7 backup 2011 03 03”. As you can see I have a backup of my home (allison) directory but I can’t see the Library folder.

Show User Library Folder Mac Sierra

Repeat the chflags Command

In this case we have the same command but we have to navigate first to Volumes, then to the specific backup drive name (with those annoying spaces replaced with and space) and then to the user directory and then Library.

To be honest it might be easier to change the name of the volume not to have spaces than it is to type it this way!

Or you could use quotes like this:

Now Your Library is Visible on Your Backup Volume

Important note – you only have to do this one time, every time you connect your external drive the Library will be visible.

Mac Os X Sierra

Of the many files and folders that make up macOS Sierra, there’s probably none so important to maintaining the “personality” of your Mac than the ~/Library folder. Best way to transfer itunes library to new mac. Inside this folder are many subfolders that contain preference lists (“plists”), database files storing a variety of important information, and many other files that maintain the state of macOS and of the individual apps that run on a Mac. Thanks to the importance of this folder, it’s normally hidden from view. Today we’ll show you a few ways to view the ~/Library folder.

Warning: Don’t play with the ~/Library folder if you don’t need to!
Before we go any further, it’s time for a warning. Don’t throw away or change anything in the ~/Library folder unless you know what you’re doing. Deleting individual files or folders found within ~/Library can cause individual applications or the operating system to malfunction.

Library

When would you want to poke around in ~/Library? Perhaps you’re gaining knowledge about macOS as a developer and want to know how the operating system stores information. Maybe you want to clean out the remnants of an app that you haven’t had on your Mac for several years. In any case, it’s best to remember what your parents told you when you were a kid and were in a place filled with expensive and breakable things — “Look, but don’t touch!”

Method One: Our Friend, the Option Key
The first and easiest way is to use a trick that gives many of the items in the macOS menu bar “super powers” — hold down the Option key while clicking on a menu. In this case, Option-clicking the Go menu in the Finder adds a new menu item — Library — that opens the ~/Library folder (see image below):

As you can see from the image above, holding down the Option key while clicking on the Go menu in the Finder adds one item as seen on the right — the Library folder. Select that menu item and a window similar to the one seen below opens on the Mac screen:

Of these folders, Application Support is quite critical as it holds information for the current user’s apps. You’ll see many “.plist” files; these are XML (Extensible Markup Language) files that can be viewed on the Mac by simply highlighting the file and pressing the space bar to bring up a Quick Look. There are also a number of log files (text-based), temporary files, app plugins, and database files (.db or .sqlite) that are critical to storing settings and data in your favorite apps.

Method Two: Command-Shift-Period
The second method works from any open Finder window, and it uses the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-. (that dot indicates the period key). This is a fun command, as it makes any hidden files or folders visible in the Finder. On the left in the image below you see my Home folder. Pressing Command-Shift-. makes hidden folders and files appear as shaded icons, shown on the right:

Show User Library Folder Mac

Pressing Command-Shift-Period makes hidden files and folders visible (right image)

See that Library folder in the center of the list on the right? Even though it is shaded, it can be double-clicked to open and view everything that’s in the folder. What’s more, some of the files that are not visible in the ~/Library folder when using Method One appear when using Method 2.

One other thing to note: Command-Shift-. makes these files and folders visible until the next time you use the command or reboot the Mac. If you’re poking around in the ~/Library folder on a Mac that other people may use without having their own logins, be sure to press Command-Shift-. one more time to set things back to hidden once you’re done. Note that Command-Shift-. also makes Library visible in the Finder Go menu without having to press the Option key…

Macos Sierra 10.12.6

Just remember, anything you change or delete in the ~/Library folder can affect how your Mac or individual applications work, so use these methods to just view hidden files or folders. Don’t delete the files or folders in ~/Library unless you know what you’re doing.